10:25

our meeting together: In many cases, first-century Christians met for worship in private homes. (See study note on 1Co 16:19.) For any Hebrew Christians who were weak in faith, such humble gatherings may have seemed unimpressive compared with assemblies held in synagogues or in Jerusalem’s magnificent temple. (Mr 13:1) Sadly, some were forsaking Christian meetings. The idea here is not that they were occasionally missing a meeting; rather, they were making a custom, or a habit, of staying away. The word here rendered “forsaking” refers to a deliberate course of deserting someone or something. (Compare 2Ti 4:10, 16, where the same Greek word is used.) One reference work comments: “Some made a practice of neglecting these meetings, whether from fear of persecution . . . or [because of] business engagements.” Those who adopted such a custom regarding Christian meetings were in danger of losing their faith altogether.​—Heb 10:38, 39; compare study note on Jas 2:2.

encouraging one another: Paul here stresses that giving encouragement is a vital duty of all Christians and one of the great benefits of meeting together. (Ro 1:12; for the meaning of the Greek word used here, see study note on Ro 12:8.) Earlier in this letter, he urged the Hebrew Christians to “keep on encouraging one another each day.” (Heb 3:13) Here he shows that the need for encouragement would increase as the day of God’s judgment drew near. Years earlier, in writing to the Christians in Thessalonica, Paul had expressed his hope that Jehovah and Jesus would “comfort [their] hearts.” There he used the same Greek verb that is here rendered “encouraging.”​—2Th 2:2, 16 and study note, 17 and study note.

as you see the day drawing near: Paul here refers to an approaching time of judgment. Decades earlier, Jesus Christ had foretold that calamity was coming upon the city of Jerusalem. (Mt 24:1, 2; Lu 19:41-44) When Paul wrote this letter about 61 C.E., he did not know just how close that day was; he knew only that it was fast approaching. So he saw it as urgent that the Hebrew Christians continue meeting together to worship Jehovah and to encourage one another. About five years after the apostle penned these words, the Roman legions under General Cestius Gallus besieged Jerusalem and began to undermine its walls. The city was completely destroyed four years later, in 70 C.E. Of course, by speaking of “the day,” Paul was also referring to the great day of Jehovah, which would correspond to the “great tribulation” that Jesus foretold in connection with his future presence.​—Mt 24:21; 2Pe 3:10; see study note on 1Th 5:2.